Adjustable headband for industrial headgear



April 29, 1947. .w. l. STAAF ADJUSTABLE HEADBAND FOR INDUSTRIAL HEADGEAR Filed Oct. 21, 1944 INV'ENTOR VVrnerI Staaf Patented Apr. 29, 1947 ADJUSTABLE HEADBANDFOR INDUSTRIAL HEADGEAR Werner I. Staaf, Rennerdale, Pa. Application October 21, 1944, Serial No. 559,802 11 Claims. (01. 2-8) This invention pertains to headgear used in dustrially for safety purposes, such for example as safety vizors, welding vizors, guards, and the like, and is for an improvement in an adjustable head band for such devices.

Headgear oi the classto which the present invention pertains, usually has a head band that encircles the head, and a strap that goes over the head and joins to the head band at diametrically opposite points. The head band serves to support a vizor or otherprotecting guard. These head bands are adjustable over a relatively wide range. Adjusting mechanism as heretofore constructed, hasbeen of ,a character which is difficult, if not impossible for the operator himself to adjust while the head bandis in position on the head, and it has also been of a character in which the hair easily becomes entangled.

According to the present invention, there is provided a simple adjustment for head bands of this character whereby the operator may easily adjust the head hand, even while the same is in place, and in which the hair ofthe wearer is not likely to become entangled.

According to the present invention as generally constructed, there is provided an adjusting mechanism in which a rotatable thumb nut accessible atthe rear of the head band is utilized to turn two oppositely'threaded spiral elements simultaneously. The head band itself is provided with projections that engage in these spiral elements, the spiral elements preferably being flexible spiral springs so that the turning of the thumb nut causes motion to be transmitted to the opposite ends of the head band. The mechanism is entirely enclosed, except for the periphery of the thumb nut.

The invention may be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an industrial'eye shield embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a detail view on a larger scale, showing the adjusting mechanism, the view being a hori-' zontal section through the head band in substantially the plane of line IllIII of Fig. 4;

the springs and thumb nut being shown in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section in the plane of line IV-IV of Fig. 3; I

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing one end of the head band; and v Fig. 6 is a detail View showing one of the spring engaging elements used in the head band."

. in Fig. 4', is wider than the plate Referring to the drawings, the headgear which, per se, is of more or less conventional form, comprises a head band 5 having two end portions 5a and 5b. Suspended from the front of the head band is a transparent vizor 6. Attached to diametrically opposite sides of the head band are theopposite ends of -astrap 1 which goes over the top of the head of the wearer, the strap 1 being retained in place by'boltsB carrying thumb nuts 9. There is also an adjustable vizor Hi pivotally supportedon the bolts 8, and which is frictionally held in position by the thumb nuts 9. 1

According to thepresent invention as preferably embodied, each of the two ends 5a and 5b of the head band is provided with a clip of the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6. This clip has a base portion II and two ears l2 which are passed through the head band and pressed down against the head bandas shown in Fig. 5, the base also carryinga single upstanding lug l3 that passes through the head band and projects perpendicularly to the surface of the head band. The head band itself may be of flexible fiber, leather, or

thin metal.

The two ends to and 5b of the head band lap over a metal supporting plate 14, which is curved to an appropriate degree and. which, as shown head band, this curved supporting plate having edge portions l5 that are turned over to provide channels or grooves along each edge thereof. Slidably received in these channels or grooves I5 is a curved cover I6 having lip portions lfia that are received in the edges I5, and having sloped ends H, the central portion lBb of the cover [6 providing a longitudinally extending internal channel I60. Midway between its ends the cover l6 has a transverse slot [8 therein. A knurled thumb nut I9 is positioned under the cover and its periphery projects through .the transverse slot IS. The thumb nut l9 has oppositely extending projections 29. Soldered to one projection 20 is a coil 2 la preferably of spring metal, and to the other projection a similar coil 2lb, these coils being received in the central channel of the cover and being spiraled in opposite directions. The projecting lug IS on the end 5a of the head band engages between the'convolutions ofthe spring Zla' and the projection l3 onthe end 5b of the headband engages in-the convolutions of the spring'zlb.

, The thumb nut or disc Iii may be rotated in either direction, and when it is so rotated, it

turns the coils or springs Zia and Zlb. This in turn causes the motion to be transmitted to the lugs or projections l3, causing the ends of the head band to slide on the plate [4 toward or away from each other.

The springs 2 la and 2 lb being flexible of course adapt themselves to the longitudinal curvature of the housing I 6 and flex as they are being rotated, so that the turning action is smooth and uniform, whereas, of course, rigid threaded elements could not be so curved. The thumb nut i9 is retained in place by the cover l6 and the boundaries of the slot [8, and also when pressure is put on its periphery to turn the springs, its inner periphery may contact the plate Id.

In assembling the adjusting mechanism, the thumb nut with its attached springs is set in position in the cover IS with the coils in the channel I60. The two ends of the head band are then brought into place and the projections I3 properly entered between the convolutions of the respective springs. Then the base plate I 4 is slipped into place inside of the ends of the head band and with its channel portions 15 embracing the edges of the cover IS.

The adjusting mechanism is extremely simple, is cheap to manufacture, and is easily operated. Because it can be quickly and easily adjusted by the operator, the operator is less likely to be careless in the use of the headgear than where the use of the device involves difficult adjustments. The housing or cover lBin conjunction with the plate I 4 completely encloses the adjusting mechanism, there being only a narrow slot under the sloping ends ll of the cover I6 through which the ends of the head band slide. Consequently the hair of the operator cannot become entangled in the device. While two coils are provided to simultaneously adjust both ends of the band, it is apparent that a single coil moving only one end of the strap might be simply provided. The springs Zla and Zlb being resilient, have a slight yield or give lengthwise that is desirable in allowing a slight stretch of the head band and also make the mechanism more free turning because binding does not occur.

While I have illustrated and described one specific embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made within the contemplation of my invention and under the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A headgear having a head band with opposed end portions, a housing in which the end portions are received, a pair of oppositely curved coils in the housing, each coil extending along one of the said end portions, means on each end portion engaging the convolutions of the coil which extends therealong, and means for rotating the coils.

2. A headgear having a head band with opposed end portions, a housing in which the end portions are received, a pair of oppositely curved coils in the housing, each coil extending along one of the said end portions, means on each end portion engaging the convolutions of the coil which extends therealong, and means for simultaneously rotating both of the coils in the same direction.

3. A headgear having a head band with opposed end portions, a housing in which the end portions are received, a pair of oppositely curved coils in the housing, each coil extending-along one of the said .endportions, means on each end portion engaging the convolutions of the coil which extends therealong, and means for simultaneously rotating both of the coils in the same direction, said last named means comprising a thumb nut retained within the housing and having its periphery projecting beyond the housing.

4. In a headgear having an adjustable head band with opposed end sections, adjusting mechanism for moving one end section relative to the other comprising a coil and carried in a support with respect to which said one end is longitudinally movable, means for turning the coil, and means on the said one end section engaged in the convolutions of the coil.

5. In a headgear having a head band which is adjustable, the head band having opposed end portions movable relatively toward and away from each other, an adjusting mechanism comprising a coil element extending lengthwise along one of the end sections and carried in a support with respect to which said one end is longitudinally movable, means on the end section engaging the convolutions of the coil element, and means for rotating the coil element.

6. A headgear having a head band with opposed end portions, a housing in which the end portions are received, a pair of coils in the housing, one coil extending along each of the said end portions, means on each end portion engaged in the convolutions of the coil which extends therealong, and means for turning the said coils.

'7. A headgear having a head band with opposed end sections, a curved plate over which the end sections extend, a curved housing having a longitudinal channel secured to said plate, a pair of oppositely wound coil elements in said channel, One coil element extending lengthwise along each end section, a projection on each end section engaging the coil element that extends therealong, and means accessible at the exterior of the housing for simultaneously rotating both coil elements.

8. A headgear having a head band with opposed end sections, a pair of oppositely wound spiral elements connected with a common operating means, one element extending along one end section and one extending along the other end section, means on each end section engaging the convolutions of the spiral element that extends along it whereby the end sections may be moved toward and from each other on rotation of the spiral elements, and a housing receiving said end sections and enclosing the said spiral elements.

9. A headgear having a head band with opposed end portions, one of said end portions having a projection thereon, a spirally wound coil element having convolutions in which said projection is engaged, means for rotating the coil element to impart rectilinear movement to the projection whereby to adjust one end of the head band relatively to the other, and means for retaining the coil element on the head band and in engagement with the projection.

10. A headgear having a head band with opposed end portions, a curved housing in which the end portions are received, a pair of oppositely turned resilient coils in the housing, one of the coils extending lengthwise over each of the opposed end portions, a common operating mechanism for turning both coils, said operating mechanism being operable at the exterior of the housing, and a projection on each end portion engaging in the convolutions of the coil which extends along it whereby to impart rectilinear movement to the respective end portions upon rotation of the coils.

11. A headgear having a head band with opposed end portions, a curved housing in which the end portions are received, a pair of oppositely turned resilient coils in the housing, one of the coils extending lengthwise over each of the opposed end portions, a common operating mechanism for turning both coils, said operating mechanism being operable at the exterior of the housing, and a projection on each end portion engaging in the convolutions of the coil which extends along it whereby to impart rectilinear movement to the respective end portions upon rotation of the coils, the end portions of the head band, the

housing, and the coils all being curved to conform generally to the curvature of the head of the wearer.

WERNER I. STAAF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Bowers Aug. 30, 1932 

